


After Ahsoka

by Klarge16



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: AU Prequels, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Jedi Council - Freeform, Light!Anakin, Planet Naboo (Star Wars), Plo Koon - Freeform, Senator Amidala, Star Wars - Freeform, Young Leia, Young Luke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:53:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25479481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Klarge16/pseuds/Klarge16
Summary: When Ahsoka is killed trying to clear her name Anakin must move on.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa & Anakin Skywalker & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, anidala - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 43





	After Ahsoka

Anakin was walking quietly through the lower levels of Coruscant, he could feel the force around him, ready to be used at a moment’s notice. It was dark, and he could sense multiple pairs of eyes watching him from the shadows, but even with the hood of his cloak pulled up he was clearly a Jedi.   
He couldn’t believe this was happening. Ahsoka was accused of murder. She clearly hadn’t done it. She couldn’t have. She was a better person than he was, it was so obvious. And she was growing in the force every day. She might rival him some day. He was sure she was already growing close to Obi Wan.   
She was close, he could feel it. The clones were in the city too, chances were he would find her first. He better find her first, he’d nearly strangled Fox when he’d given the order to shoot on site. He lifted his arm where is com unit sat embedded in his armor.   
“Rex? You there?”   
“Yes, General.”   
“Any sign of her?”  
“No, General.”   
Anakin stiffened. “Is Fox with you?”  
“Yes, General.” Rex paused, “a 501st officer is leading every group. It’s the best I can do, Anakin.”   
He sighed. It was the best Rex could do, really. With the council’s involvement there was no hope of the 501st handling this themselves. There were plenty of clones from other divisions participating in the search as well. “Thanks, Rex. Don’t worry, we’ll find her.”   
If he could find her he could help her. He had promised that he would never let anything hurt her. He needed to find her to protect her.   
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Something, or someone, was there. He reached for his lightsaber.   
And then he heard it. The unmistakable sound of a lightsaber fight. He ignited his own lightsaber and ran. They were fighting fiercely. Nearly faster than the eye could follow. Ahsoka and Ventress? No, not Ventress, just her lightsabers. He knew the other girl, the other padawan. It was Bariss. Wasn’t she a friend of Ahsoka’s?   
It didn’t matter, he was already in motion while yelling into his com, “Rex, on my location. I need reinforcements.”  
He was still half a block away when she stumbled on a piece of junk. The split second was all that Barriss needed to twist her lightsaber free of Ahsoka’s and drive the blade through her heart.   
“Ahsoka!” He didn’t even feel himself doing it, but when he pulled the force was there and Bariss was catapulted through an open warehouse doorway causing an enormous crash.   
Anakin didn’t pause and threw himself onto the ground by Ahsoka, his hands already moving over the gaping hole in her chest. Could he? He’d seen the testaments from the old days, but no one had ever. “Snips? Hey snips, stay with me,” his voice was surprisingly strong.   
“M, m, master?” she gasped out.   
“It’s me, Snips. I’m here. Hang on, Rex and the boys are on their way with an evac.” It wasn’t going to be soon enough. Rex had been at least a quadrant over from where he’d been in their search.   
He didn’t know what to do. “‘Soka? I’m going to try something ok, I’m going to make it stop hurting.” She couldn’t speak, her breathing was getting shallower by the second. He took a deep breath, placed his hands on her heart, and shoved the force down into her. He had done this before, he had brought her back. He could do it again. “Heal,” he murmured, “come on Ahsoka.”  
He was so engrossed in Ahsoka he almost missed her coming up behind him, lightsaber blazing. “No!” He ground out, sweat pouring off his brow as he kept one hand on Ahsoka and threw the other up to grab Bariss with the force, suspending her in the air in front of him.   
“Ahsoka?” She wasn’t answering . . . why wasn’t she answering? He twisted the force to keep Bariss in the air and shoved it down his other hand into Ahsoka. “Come on, come on.”   
She didn’t answer. He could see the dropship coming in, “Rex?” No answer, Rex couldn’t hear him yet. But he could see a lightsaber, Plo Koon was with him. Koon would stop him. If Koon stayed away he could still save her.  
“Skywalker?” Koon’s normally calm voice sounded frantic. “Skywalker, stop. Let her go.”   
He couldn’t keep up both points for the force. He needed to choose one. Bariss was clawing at her throat, her legs were kicking. Koon could handle her and he could focus on Ahsoka. But she had nearly killed Snips, she was clearly behind the terrorist attacks. He couldn’t just let her go.   
“Skywalker, let go!” But he couldn’t, he couldn’t just leave it alone she needed him. “Fire!”  
And everything went black. 

He could tell he was in bed, but didn’t know where. His eyes were closed, but he could tell the lights weren’t bright enough to be in the medical wing of the temple.   
“Anakin, I know you’re awake.” It took all of his will power to keep from sighing with his eyes still closed.   
“Mmmm.” He opened his eyes to see Obi Wan sitting in a chair beside the bed. Of course, they had sent Obi Wan. Who else would be brave enough to fill him in? He knew where he was now. It was his room. Or rather, his and Padme’s room. Where was Padme?   
“Anakin?” There she was, in the doorway. She was dressed for the senate. There weren’t supposed to be any senate meetings for the next month, they were on holiday. She had quietly stayed here rather than going home to Naboo in hopes he would have a few nights leave.   
“Wh, why am I here?” Something had happened, he had been on the lower levels, he had been fighting Bariss. Ahsoka had been, “Ahsoka!” He sat bolt upright, his hands scrabbling for the covers. “She’s innocent, she has to be. She was telling the truth, why else would Bariss be trying to kill her. Where is she? Get Rex on a line. Artoo?” He was rambling, but as he made to get up Obi Wan placed his hand on Anakin’s shoulder.   
“Anakin, sit down.” Obi Wan took a deep breath. “The council thought it best, I thought it best if I tell you. Erm,” He cleared his throat. “They don’t know you’re here. Padme and I thought, well since you two are close.” He cleared his throat again.   
“Ani, honey,” Padme and Anakin’s eyes both flicked to Obi Wan who was pretending he hadn’t heard. “It’s about, Ahsoka. She was wounded, you know. It was bad, very bad. The med driods did everything they could. It’s just, so many organs were hit,” Padme trailed off as her eyes welled up and tears began trailing down her cheeks.   
“What? Is she still unconscious? I need to see her,”  
“No, Anakin,” Obi Wan looked up to meet his eyes. “She didn’t make it. She, she” he drew in a deep breath, “she’s dead,” he whispered so quietly Anakin could hardly hear him.   
Anakin’s eyes widened. She couldn’t be. She was just a child. He had promised that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. “No. No I can fix this. I’ve fixed this before. I can fix her again. She just needs some help. I can heal her. I’ve been doing research, there were Jedi who could use the force to heal. I can do it. Master Yoda could do it.” He reached across the bed to his drawer, it was empty. Where was his lightsaber.   
“Ani, sit down.” It was Padme. Her brown eyes met his blue ones. “It’s been hours. There’s nothing you can do. Her funeral is in two days. I’ve just been with the council. It was Bariss. It was all Bariss. It’s not your fault,” she murmured. “It’s not your fault.”   
“No, no it can’t be. Master?” His eyes sought out Obi Wan’s.   
Obi Wan just shook his head, a tear running down his own face.   
Anakin’s head dropped into his hands. And then he collapsed. He would have missed the bed entirely if Obi Wan hadn’t caught him. He couldn’t control it. He couldn’t control the force. It was flowing as it never had before. It was so strong, it had only been this strong once before—in a village of sand people on Tattooine. The lights shattered. The windows shattered.   
No! This was the council’s fault!   
He could feel Obi Wan’s arms around him. No! He blasted him back into the wall.   
This was Obi Wan’s fault! He hadn’t stopped them! He’d known she was innocent. He reached out. He needed to get rid of Obi Wan, Obi Wan had gotten rid of her.   
“Ani! Ani, look at me!” He opened his eyes to see Padme on the floor with him. Her arms flung around his waist. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Ani. But you have to keep it together. Nothing we do will bring her back, ok?”   
He looked over her shoulder at Obi Wan slowly getting up across the room, and shook his head. “Leave me alone.” Obi Wan nodded once, then hurried from the room.   
Anakin breathed, and then he burst into tears and buried his head in Padme’s shoulder. 

Anakin stayed in bed for three days. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d stayed still for so long. He couldn’t seem to move. He couldn’t imagine a life without her. They would never win this war—it was just an endless cycle of death.   
“Anakin?” It was Padme standing in the doorway. He sat up to look at her, she smiled encouragingly at him. “The council doesn’t want to have her funeral without you. Obi Wan said that they’re hoping to do it tomorrow, whether you can come or not though.”   
“The council shouldn’t be there!” He couldn’t stop himself from yelling at her. “It’s their fault she’s dead! If they hadn’t blamed her for the bombing it never would have happened!”   
“Anakin?” Padme nearly whispered as she treaded across the lush carpet towards the bed. “It was a horrible accident, but she would want you to keep going. She would want you to work with Rex and Obi Wan and keep the republic together.”   
“No!” He was yelling again, and Padme looked a bit taken back. He sighed, “I have to go see the council. They won’t want to let Rex in tomorrow.” He gave Padme a soft smile. “Thank you,” he took her hand, “for everything.”   
The council members looked as tired as Anakin felt. Particularly Obi Wan. His normally styled hair and well trimmed beard clearly hadn’t been combed or washed lately and deep purple circles rimmed his eyes. Anakin didn’t want to imagine what he looked like.   
“General Skywalker,” Mace Windu nodded toward Anakin. “Master Kenobi says you have been unwell, an adverse reaction to the stun weapon Commander Fox used.” Anakin glanced at Obi Wan. He knew Obi Wan almost better than he knew himself, and his expression was pleading with Anakin to play along.   
“Yes, Master.” He ground out the last word.   
“It is unfortunate about Padawan Tano, but our investigation has concluded that Padawan Offee was responsible for the attack on the temple. Appropriate actions have been taken. Is there anything you wish to add to the investigation?”   
“No, Master. I believed Ahsoka to be telling the truth the entire time. It makes sense that Offee was the instigator.”   
“All right then,” Windu paused, “Will we see you at the funeral tomorrow, Skywalker?”   
Anakin glanced at Obi Wan, he couldn’t help it. “Yes, the 501st and I will be there.”   
An awkward silence followed, clones were not typically invited to a Jedi funeral. Finally, Yoda spoke. “Come, the 501st may. The council, afterwards you must see for a new assignment General Skywalker.”   
“Meeting adjourned,” Mace Windu concluded as the council members began getting up from their seats and going along.   
Anakin felt as though his legs were cemented where he stood. Another assignment? A mission without Ahsoka? He and Obi Wan had done plenty of missions without Ahsoka, but there would be no calling her to tell her they were on their way back. To ask her to check on Padme. To tease about missing him.   
And then Obi Wan was clutching his elbow, guiding him out of the council chambers and down the long hallway to the temple steps. Anakin heard him talking, but wasn’t sure what he was saying. A sharp poke in the ribs startled him back to the present. “Anakin, you have to get it together. I cannot send you into a warzone like this,” Anakin nearly smiled at Obi Wan’s words. Obi Wan couldn’t help acting like a mixture of father sand older brother to him, they’d been together too long.   
“I don’t know if I can go back,” Anakin whispered, more to himself than to Obi Wan.   
“Don’t know if you can go back? Anakin we are very close to the end of the war, in large part to your actions. If we can just,” he trailed off.   
“Not without her. I’ll see you tomorrow. I’m not sure about after.” Anakin marched off faster than he intended to his ship, he couldn’t stay in his quarters at the temple alone. He needed Padme. 

He knew it would look strange if Padme went to the funeral with him. But he couldn’t bear to go without her. Unsurprisingly, Obi Wan was waiting at the entrance of the temple. Padme pulled him into a hug and whispered something in his ear. Anakin frowned.   
“Anakin?” Obi Wan was looking at him intently, “Rex and the others came though a few minutes ago. I pointed them to the chambers. Will you walk with me?” He was eyeing Anakin hopefully, but Anakin knew him well enough to see that Obi Wan wasn’t functioning any better than he was. Anakin could remember when Qui Gon died—he had hardly known the man, but Obi Wan had been incredibly distance for the first year of his training. He’d lost numerous clones in the last few years of the war. He’d almost lost Obi Wan in some hair brained plot of the council’s. He had nearly died when they thought she was dead on Mortis. No one except Obi Wan had known about that, not even Ahsoka herself. But now, now Ahsoka was gone for real.   
Ahsoka hadn’t been in battle.   
She’d been at home, on the safest mission they’d undertaken in the last year.   
She’d been killed in cold blood by one of their own.   
The large gathering chamber was crowded, Ahsoka had been well liked amongst the order. Rex and the rest of the 501st were lining the back wall of the chamber. Obi Wan had made to lead Anakin down to the front where those who knew Ahsoka best were expected to be, but he stopped and took his place next to Rex.   
Anakin and Obi Wan had both been more attached to Ahsoka than they should have been, but her comradery with Rex had been unique amongst the Jedi. Anakin wasn’t going to stand besides anyone else at her funeral. Obi Wan sighed, but followed his lead and took a place on Padme’s other side.   
Anakin could see Mace Windu lean in to whisper something to Yoda, but he wasn’t going to worry about it today. Today he was going to worry about honoring Ahsoka. 

“Anakin! Wait!” It was Obi Wan. Again. What did a guy have to do to get five minutes to himself? He’d just sat through his murdered Padawan’s funeral for Force’s Sake. “The council is waiting, Anakin.”   
“I’m not going.” He kept marching along purposefully, his hand clasped in Padme’s.   
“Not going?” He could hear Obi Wan’s concern in his voice.   
“I’m not going. I’m not participating in this war anymore. We’re meant to be peacekeepers. That’s what Ahsoka thought.”  
“Anakin, I can’t tell you how the council will react to this. This insubordination is unprecedented.” Obi Wan and Padme were nearly running to keep up with Anakin.   
He whirled on Obi Wan, drawing himself up to his full height and screaming down at the man. “They killed her and I’ll never work for them again! Never!” He marched away, Padme paused to shoot an apologetic glance at Obi Wan and then darted after him.   
“Anakin?”   
“Hmm,” he didn’t feel like talking anymore. He needed a nap.   
“Are you sure this is what you want? They won’t be happy.”   
“They think I’m breaking the code as it is.”  
“Yes, but this, even Qui Gon wouldn’t have flat out refused to see them” she sounded worried he noted.   
“Padme?”   
“Yes, Ani?”  
“Can we go home? To the lake country on Naboo?” His voice nearly cracked as he forced Naboo out.   
“Yes,” she whispered, “yes, I think that’s a good idea.” 

Anakin laid in bed, his eyes were closed but he was wide awake. He never slept well these days. Padme was on her side next to him, he could hear her steady breaths. He wasn’t listening for his wife though. He was reaching out with the force, listening for the sleeping babies in the next room.   
Yes, there was Luke. Anakin could sense him, soft and eager even in sleep. Across the room their daughter wasn’t quite asleep yet. She wasn’t crying yet, he sense her thinking, trying to decide what she wanted. And then he sensed her eyes shut and she drifted off to join her brother in dreamland.   
He sighed with relief. The twins had been feeding on one another’s sleep regression habits lately. Padme had firmly told him to let them cry it out, but he couldn’t stand to listen to it. Not when he could so easily sense what they were feeling.   
Padme would be leaving to go back to the senate the next week—her year of leave was up and she was anxious to get back to work he knew. She would be splitting her time for the time being, and when the twins were old enough they would split their time together.   
But it was too dangerous to take them to Coruscant now.   
The council surely knew of their existence, and he was willing to bet they had an idea about his feelings regarding the twins joining the order.   
He would not let them end up like her, like him. Trained to be killers and then set loose on the population only to be betrayed by those they trusted most. No. They were barely twelve months old. It would be a year, maybe two before the order came for them. If they came at all. He breathed a sigh of relief and drifted off. 

He could see her fighting Bariss. Keep your guard up, push with the force yes. Attack, block, had she always been this fast? She was certainly faster than he was, but she lacked his power. He could see the debris behind her now, why hadn’t he seen it earlier? He opened his mouth   
“Ahsoka!” But she never heard him, and then Bariss’s red blade pierced her heart. “Ahsoka!” He bolted upright in bed, sweat pouring off his forehead.   
Padme slept soundly beside him, she’d been exhausted from getting as much time with the babies as possible before her trip. Plus she was used to his nightmares now. There would be no getting back to sleep now, not with the image of Barriss stabbing Ahsoka fresh in his mind again.   
He slipped his feet into house shoes and padded across the hall to the twins’ room. Luke was his mother’s son, he was snoring softly on his back both arms flung up over his head. He smiled at his son, but it was Leia who caught his attention. She was sitting up in her crib giggling to herself as she spun the mobile over her crib at high speed.   
“Leia,” he sighed. She smiled gummily at him and reached her arms up, the mobile stopping abruptly. He lifted her out of the crib and took her over to the window overlooking the lake. She settled into his arms, he could feel the force flowing through her. He almost wished she didn’t have the force. It would be nothing but a burden for her.   
He sunk onto the window seat, mouthing cheekily at Leia as he did so. He was still sitting with her, pointing out varykino, when Luke woke and started crying for his breakfast. And then Padme was there, lifting the baby out of his crib to comfort him.   
She joined Anakin at the window, kissing him and Leia on the cheek consecutively. They stood together, each holding a baby perfectly happy as their own family unit. 

Obi Wan was running late. He rarely ran late, but he had just landed on Coruscant from a Republic flagship where he’d been assisting an admiral. He dispatched Cody and his clones to the mess and was jogging up the temple steps when Plo Koon caught him.   
“You’re not going to like what they have to say,” he whispered to Obi Wan as they made their way to the council chambers.   
“It’s Anakin, isn’t it?” Obi Wan had figured this was coming. The council was never going to just let Anakin play house on Naboo with Padme. He was the chosen one for goodness sake.   
“The chancellor was just in to speak to Master Yoda and Master Windu, he’s pushing to have the younglings brought in sooner rather than later.”  
“Hmm,” Obi Wan stroked his beard.   
“You must go, Obi Wan. Anyone else will bring back the younglings, or perish. You’re the only one who has a chance.”   
“Why are you telling me this?” Obi Wan had never been particularly close to Plo Koon, and neither had Anakin.   
“For little ‘Soka. I couldn’t help her, but she would have wanted this for Skywalker.” Plo Koon nodded at Obi Wan and then turned and headed towards the council chambers.   
Obi Wan took a deep breath and straightened his tunic.   
They sat in the semi circle they were always in. His own chair was empty. Most of them were there, the war was nearly wrapped up everywhere but the outer rim and the entire council was able to be at the temple.   
“Obi Wan, welcome.” Yoda gestured for him to stand in the center. He took his place apprehensively.   
“Successful, your mission was? Yes?”   
“Yes, master. We were able to provide support to Master Luminara and her forces.”   
“Good, good.” Yoda glanced at Mace Windu.   
“Obi Wan,” Windu started. “We have an additional mission for you. I’m sure you know we’ve kept tabs on young Skywalker since he left the Jedi Order.”  
“Yes, of course.” Obi Wan nodded. The council didn’t exactly hide that they had spies on Naboo, but he could tell they didn’t discuss it in front of him either. Though Yoda had told him when Padme had had the twins. Obi Wan sighed internally, he hadn’t been exactly honest with the council either. He holo messaged Anakin every week. The messages sat unopened on his data pad. Obi Wan wasn’t even sure why he did it anymore.   
“Babies, Padme had. Skywalker’s they are. Strong with the force they are,” Yoda’s voice brought him back to reality.   
“Yes, I’m sure they would be.” Obi Wan stroked his beard  
“The younglings are getting stronger. It’s time they were brought to the temple to learn the Force,” Windu spoke harshly. “We believe you should go to collect the younglings, Obi Wan. Skywalker won’t give them up easily.”  
“Anakin will be attached to his children, he won’t be persuaded easily.”  
“On Coruscant, Senator Amidala is. An easier time with just Skywalker you should have. The best place this is for the younglings. Convince him, Obi Wan, you must.” Yoda smiled, or at least attempted to, encouragingly at Obi Wan.   
He didn’t have any way out of this. He would have to at least try. Maybe he could get Anakin to come back to the temple with him. If Padme was here, maybe he should visit her first? No, she would just tip Anakin off.   
“Yes, Master. I’ll leave immediately.” He bowed, turned, and left without asking if there was other news to discuss. He walked halfway down the hallway before he opened the comm on his wrist. “Captain Rex? I have a mission I think you’ll be interested in.” 

Anakin was playing with the toddlers on the beach when he saw the ship fly in. Luke and Leia were building in the sand on the edge of the lake. Well, Luke was building, and Leia was tromping his towers over and then laughing so hard she fell over. The twins were nearly four, into everything and strongly attached to each other, as well as him and Padme.   
He sighed watching the kids. He hated the beach; the twins were always gritty with sand after playing on the edge of the lake. But he would do anything to hear their laughter every day, and they loved building in the sand and wading in the water.   
He would have recognized the ship anywhere; it was a republic Starfighter. He had almost become complacent. But he had known they would come.   
“Leia, Luke!” He called to the twins, who stopped rolling in the sand to toddle over to him. “It’s time for lunch,” barely he thought, “let’s go inside and see what 3PO is up to.”   
“Race you?” Luke challenged his sister cheekily. She took off, with Luke on her heels before Anakin could interject. He glanced at the sky once more, the ship was nearly out of sight. Whoever the pilot was, he wasn’t going to try and land anywhere close. He clenched his jaw, at least he had some notice, no one was going to take these children from him. 

“3PO?” He called as they entered the kitchen. Both kids were still giggling, Luke had used his longer legs to overtake Leia in their race.   
“Yes, Master Ani?” 3PO turned around from the sink.   
“A strange ship just landed on the other side of the lake. We have about an hour.”  
“Do you want me to translate, Master Ani?” He sighed. 3PO meant well, of course. And it had been he who insisted Padme take Artoo. But what he wouldn’t give for a competent assistant.   
“No, I want you to alert the household guard. I need a perimeter around the house, two guards at each entrance. I want the windows within everyone’s view. And I want a personal guard for the twins. Their nursery is too exposed, take them to the storage room.”  
“Oh dear. What’s coming? We could all perish!” Anakin glanced at the kids, but they were already starting to tune 3PO out.   
“No one’s perishing, just do it. Take lunch with you. Forget about the guard, I’ll tell them.” 3PO grabbed the tray of sandwiches he’d been working on and allowed Anakin to usher him and the twins to the stairs.   
“Why are we going down here?” Leia questioned loudly.   
“Why, Daddy?” Luke echoed.   
“Someone is trying to visit, but he doesn’t like me very much. Stay with 3PO, ok?” They nodded solemnly and proceeded down the steps. He sighed inwardly; thank goodness they were well behaved kids.   
He pulled his sleeve up and turned on his comm for the first time in months. “Captain?”   
“Yes, General Skywalker?”  
“Any word on the ship?”   
“It landed about fifteen minutes ago general. Two men are on their way here.”   
“Any ID?”   
“No general.”   
“Ok Captain, I want a perimeter around the house. Four men on the storage room, the twins and 3PO are there.”  
“Yes, General.”   
They were good men. Anakin knew they were, and he had faith in them. But against two Jedi? They didn’t stand a chance. Hell, he’d be lucky to stand a chance. He’d been more focused on parenting than training these days. He was probably sorely out of practice with his lightsaber, despite carrying it everywhere. It wasn’t his life anymore though, the younglings in the storage room were his life far more than the laser sword ever had been. 

Anakin proceeded to the front gate. If the two men had any honor at all this is where they would come. He wondered who they had sent. Probably Mace Windu. Windu had never trusted him and would be thrilled to have the opportunity to kill him. They had to know he would fight. No one was coming in here to take his children to the temple to train as soldiers.   
He could see them now. One was wearing a Jedi cloak, his hood pulled up. The other was a, a clone?   
He didn’t know what was happening here. He ignited his lightsaber. The familiar hum started up and the brilliant light was nearly white in the afternoon Naboo sun. He twirled it in his hand, he was ready.   
They were almost there now. He could make out the clone’s specific armor. Was that, Rex?   
The clone, maybe Rex, raised his hand to Anakin. He could make out the Jaig Eyes on his helmet now. Definitely Rex. Who had Padme said Rex was working for now? Wasn’t he serving under Ki Adi Mundi?   
“Stop there, Rex. No need to come any closer.”   
“General,” Rex called. “Long time no see. Care to catch up?”   
“Not until I know why you’re here, Rex. Or who’s with you.” With that the cloaked figure raised his hands and pulled his hood back. Anakin nearly choked on his tongue.   
“Hello, there. How are you, Anakin?” Obi Wan Kenobi asked smartly.   
“Master,” he ground out.   
“Oh, Anakin. I haven’t been your master for years.”  
“Old habits. Care to explain why you’ve decided to visit now? And why you’ve dragged Rex into it?”   
“General, I” Rex started but Anakin cut him off.   
“She trusted us! And you all, I, let her down! Tell me why you’re here, Obi Wan!” He could sense the anger coming strong and hot now. The force was there, ready if he needed it.   
“The council had some questions about your family, Anakin. We just wanted to check in. There’s no need to be alarmed.”  
“What family?” Play dumb. Play dumb and they won’t know he chanted in his head. “It’s just Padme and I here, and she’s on Coruscant for work.”   
“Anakin. Come now. They’re as strong as you were, if not more. I could sense them before we even landed.”   
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Breath, he told himself. Breath.   
“Your twins, Anakin. The council thinks it’s high time they began their education at the temple.”   
He saw red. How dare they. How dare the council threaten his family. Obi Wan was ready for him when he flipped over and attacked.   
“Set to stun, Rex!” Obi Was yelled as he parried Anakin’s blow. Their fencing was furious. Anakin attacked and Obi Wan blocked three, then five blows.   
Obi Wan struck out with his lightsaber. Anakin flung himself into a backflip. He reached with the force and pulled, sending a tree limb spinning towards Obi Wan. Obi Wan ducked and thrust out with the force himself. Anakin caught it, throwing it back to Obi Wan, who threw himself down to avoid the rush towards him. Anakin launched himself forward, bringing his lighsaber down from overhead towards Obi Wan.   
Obi Wan rolled over just in time to block Anakin’s blow. Rex was still providing cover fire for Obi Wan, but Anakin was deft enough to avoid or block his shots. Their furious battle continued down to the shores of the lake. Anakin slipped down the bank and pulled with the force, sending a tidal wave of water towards Obi Wan. Obi Wan mustered up more strength to throw up a wall of force for the water to collide against. It splashed backwards, but Anakin sidestepped it. The house guard was running towards them having abandoned their perimeter to assist Anakin.   
“Stand down, wait!” Anakin screamed at them before turning back to Obi Wan “why are you here? Why are you trying to destroy everything!?” Anakin screamed, pacing back and forth along the bottom of beach. Rex finally caught up to them and lifted his rifle to fire. Anakin blocked the stunning shot deftly and it spun back to hit Rex, who landed hard on the sand.   
“I just want to talk, Anakin! Maybe we can work something out, you don’t have to give them up forever!”  
“No! You want to take them in and force them to be like you! You’ll get them killed, just like you got her killed! The council can’t protect the Jedi, they just send them to their deaths.” Anakin was nearly frothing at the mouth.   
“Oh Anakin. It was the dark side that killed Ahsoka. The Sith who lured Bariss into their lies.”  
“No! Don’t you say her name, you voted with the council! You thought she was guilty!”  
“No, Anakin. I didn’t, I just couldn’t. It was my word against the evidence.”  
“No one will ever take them away from me. Certainly not you.”  
“No, don’t try it, Anakin. I have the high ground.” But Anakin wasn’t listening. All he could hear was a roaring in his ears as he launched himself up the bank towards Obi Wan, his lightsaber extended.   
Obi Wan was ready, he pushed with the force, sending Anakin higher and used his own lightsaber to catch Anakin’s, splitting the hilt in half. The white blue light died instantly as the pieces clattered to the beach. Anakin went spinning out of control and landed hard on his knees. He stared up at Obi Wan, the lightsaber pointed at his throat.   
“Anakin,” Obi Wan sounded tired. “I just want to talk. I know, I know you don’t trust me after how everything ended with Ahsoka, but we can work this out.” He grinned sadly at Anakin, “we always have before. Call Padme, we can figure out a plan. I’m not going to take the kids to the temple. I’d love to meet them though.”  
Anakin glanced toward the kitchen window where 3PO was watching, both kids huddled in the corner trying to watch everything and hide at the same time. “I miss her so much,” he muttered so quietly Obi Wan nearly missed it. “The twins, they’re the only ones that fill the hole she left. I love Padme, but I spent every day with Ahsoka. And I let her down. The Jedi let her down. And they let me down.”   
“I know,” Obi Wan paused. “When Satine,” he coughed. “When I couldn’t save her it felt like the world was ending. The Jedi, you Anakin, were the only thing I had left. I miss you. I do, Anakin, and if lying to the council means I get to see you again then I’m willing to do so. Rex said he would help. The 501st misses you too.” He gave Anakin a small smile and reached his hand out to help him up.   
The house guard were littered around him and Obi Wan in a loose semi-circle. Anakin struggled for a moment, then clasped Obi Wan’s hand in his own and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, the wet sand sticking to his boots. “Stand down, men. Someone take Captain Rex to the infirmary. It seems we have guests for lunch.” 

Padme came flying down the hall, her heavy senate gown weighing her down. She hadn’t taken the time to change. “Where are they?”   
“In the family room, ma’am.”   
She sprinted the last few yards and rounded the corner into the family room to find her husband and children sitting with his old master and captain. Luke was on Obi Wan’s lap, Leia on Rex’s. “What’s going on here?” She gasped out.  
“Mama, mama,” the kids climbed down and raced toward her. She knelt to catch them in her arms. They really were like little cannons—short and thick. She felt Anakin steadying her with the force as he smiled at her.   
She let her babies go and straightened up, crossing the room to kiss her husband. And then she pulled Obi Wan into a hug. He stiffened, but when she refused to let go he relaxed into it. “It’s good to see you, Senator. It’s been quite a while.”   
“Yes, I wish it were under better circumstances, Obi Wan. What’s going on here?” She reached out to grasp Anakin’s hand in hers.   
“The council sent me to check on your younglings. I’m sure Anakin’s told you, they’re quite strong in the force.”   
“Mmm, he’s mentioned it.” She lifted Luke into her arms only to have Leia whine to be picked up as well. She kissed Luke’s cheek and passed him to Anakin so she could balance Leia on her hip.   
“We simply want to make sure that they’re protected from Dooku and the other Sith. Training them in a protected area is the best way to do so. Even Anakin agrees.”   
“Does he now?” She eyed her husband.   
“Now, Obi Wan,” Anakin interjected.   
“Yes, yes. Anakin and I were discussing how the Jedi council can’t possibly provide an appropriate environment for such strong children.” She nearly snorted. Anakin had heavily implied that their twins had close to Ahsoka’s force capabilities. “I think I can convince the council to allow me to be a liaison to your family,” he finally grinned at her.   
She smoothed Luke’s hair down over his head, and looked up at Anakin. His eyes had more hope in them than she’d seen in a long time. “I think that sounds like a wonderful plan, Obi Wan.” She smiled at them all. She couldn’t care less about her children becoming Jedi. In fact, based on their father it might be best if they didn’t. But Anakin was back with his family, their family. Luke and Leia deserved to have this family too, and she would see that they did.


End file.
